Specter donates tainted money

EdMathews

Friday

Feb 12, 2010 at 1:15 AM

Sen. Arlen Specter sent to charity a political contribution he received from an admitted head of a fraud scheme. Specter in 2006 received $4,200 from Scott Rothstein, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Rothstein pleaded guilty last week to federal charges in connection with a $1.2 billion Ponzi scheme. Specter wanted to make sure that he was not associated with someone who pleaded guilty to a crime. It was something that happened in 2006. Specter, who switched from Republican to Democrat, obviously wanted to keep on the good side of the voters. Specter is not the only politician to receive money from Rothstein. We are sure that Specter will be able to raise a great deal of money just because he has been in the Senate for so long. As we have mentioned a number of times before, Specter knows as well as any politician about raising money. He has raised plenty of money, from other states as well as from Pennsylvania. Specter has ample reason to feel confident about the primary May 18. Specter is endorsed by the state Democratic Party and is supported by President Barack Obama and Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell. Specter will give the other Democratic candidate, U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak, from Delaware County, a hard time. It won't be won't be easy for Sestak.

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NASCAR fans will be excited this weekend as the NASCAR season gets under way at Daytona Beach, Fla. It promises to be a great opening of the season. The fans have been waiting anxiously for the racing to begin. The crowds have been getting to Daytona Beach all week. It makes a big hit, that is for sure. There is concern there will be a reduction in attendance for the start of this year, but we will have to wait and see what does happen. From what we read and heard, it could go either way. One driver who will be watched closely is Danica Patrick, who had a practice lap on Wednesday. She is making her NASCAR debut. She will draw plenty of fans just being at Daytona. When Sunday does get here, you can bet there will be many people in attendance. Bad weather or not, it is Daytona so you can count on a big attendance. ... The NBA All-Star Game will be held in Dallas on Sunday at 8 p.m. The crowd for the game, to be held at the new Texas Stadium, is expected to be huge. The figure we saw quoted was 90,000 people. That would certainly be a record. Fans will do quite well seeing any part of the three-day All-Star extravaganza. ... Ed McAtee, of Edinboro, called Jennie Geisler to let her know that his daughter, Allison McAtee, 30, an actress, will appear in a TV show on the Hallmark Channel on Saturday at 9 p.m. She will be in a movie called "Elevator Girl." She has been in many other movies and television shows since 2003, including "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," "Nip/Tuck," "CSI: Miami," "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," "Ugly Betty" and "Project Runway."

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Judging from what we have been reading in the paper about the upcoming state budget, the next budget battle is going to be very difficult. People knew that it was going to be hard to settle. The last budget was difficult, too, and that was often mentioned. For a good example, read the letters to the editor that are still coming into the paper in big numbers complaining about all the cuts made in the current budget. In the case of Rendell, he has one thing going for him, he does not have to worry about the budget next year. ... We can imagine that there are more than a few people anxious to run for Congressman John Murtha's seat. As it turns out, Murtha died because surgeons nicked his large intestine while removing is gallbladder Jan. 28. Murtha was a strong congressman and it is going to be hard to replace him for all his constituents. He was the longest-serving congressman in Pennsylvania history. His family had the opportunity to have him be buried in Arlington National Cemetery, but instead they chose a cemetery in Westmont, a suburb of Johnstown, his hometown.

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